Scott Wood hit five 3-pointers on his way to a season-high 17 points against Stanford on Tuesday

RALEIGH – One word kept popping up Tuesday night as Scott Wood was questioned about the potential of his N.C. State basketball team.

“We have a lot of people that can score the ball and I think that makes us a little dangerous,” he said.

“Anytime we’re in our stance and playing good defense, we’re a really dangerous team,” he added a few moments later.

Then, with a chuckle, the senior forward intentionally went back to a familiar theme when asked how much better the Wolfpack is when point guard Lorenzo Brown is at the top of his game, as he’s been recently.

Though there are still plenty of rough edges that need to be smoothed, the 25th-ranked Wolfpack took another step forward by putting together its best effort of the still-young season against a quality opponent from a power conference.

In the process, it showed its most prolonged glimpse of the team everyone thought it could be when it was picked as the preseason favorite to win the ACC.

“The whole point is to get better as you play,” said junior forward C.J. Leslie after his team won its fourth straight to improve to 8-2. “The longer you play, the better you get. We took some great steps today and we got a great win.”

It was a victory that did much more than just avenge a bitter loss to the Cardinal in California last season, a game in which the Wolfpack squandered a 12-point second half lead after Leslie’s leg began cramping and everyone else began fouling out.

It also underscored the growth of a veteran nucleus, all of which contributed at least 16 points, while showing off the diversity and firepower coach Mark Gottfried’s team possesses when it’s motivated and focused.

Wood softened Stanford’s defense early by hitting five 3-pointers in the opening 10 minutes on the way to a season-best 17 points. That opened the lane for Brown, who penetrated with control and purpose while scoring a game-high 24 points to go along with five assists.

Center Richard Howell posted what is rapidly becoming a routine double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Leslie did a little of everything to help the Wolfpack build as much as a 17-point advantage before taking its foot off the gas pedal a little too early.

But even with the lull, to State’s credit, State rose to the occasion down the stretch and never really allowed Stanford close enough to seriously threaten the outcome.

“There was a time when our leaders stepped up and got this game done,” Leslie said.

The problem is, at least now, those leaders are being asked to do most of the heavy lifting on their own.

C.J. Leslie takes a charge against Stanford's Powell during the first half of Tuesday's game

With the exception of the four upperclassmen, and freshmen Rodney Purvis and T.J. Warren, no one else on the team is averaging double figure minutes in the six games State has played since – in the Gottfried’s words – it “stunk it up” against Oklahoma State in the finals of the Puerto Rico Tipoff tournament in mid-November.

Tuesday, the Wolfpack did get a productive four-minute stretch from 7-foot center Jordan Vandenberg and four points from backup point guard Tyler Lewis, but between them they were only on the court long enough for an egg to boil.

If that lack of depth is a concern for Gottfried, he’s certainly not showing it.

“Young guys, they’re not allowed to get tired,” he said. “It’s against the rules.”

The book is out on whether the Wolfpack will still be following those rules come February and March. But for now, all Gottfried is concerned about is that his talented team continues the growth it showed against Stanford, smoothes out its remaining rough edges and plays its best when the games matter most.

There’s one word to describe what State can become if it manages to accomplish those goals. If you haven’t figured what it is by now, just ask Scott Wood.

It is great to see the Pack with so much talent. As Scott Wood said, “when they are in defensive position, they are dangerous.” Leslie doesn’t seem to want to play hard unless really necessary. If he plays with more intensity the Pack could beat some good teams. If he does not several ACC teams will take them. Keep playing hard all the time guys.

Concerning me and my husband we’ve owned more MP3 players over time than I can count, together with Sansas, iRivers, iPods (traditional & touch), the Ibiza Rhapsody, etc. But, the last few a long time I’ve settled down to one line of players.